Betrothal: I Do or I Don't
by Naruto-fan-Okami-chan
Summary: One to love, one forced to love. One indifferent, one...eh...not-so-great. In the end, Sasuke can only hope that strength can overpower a treaty bent on taking away the one girl he's always loved. -SasuSaku-
1. Shocking News

**Betrothal: I Do or I Don't**

**Chapter One- Shocking News**

'"'"'"

"W-what?" Sakura stammered as her eyes widened in shock.

"I'm sorry Sakura…but…I had to." Tsunade responded, an edge of sadness evident in her tone.

Sakura said nothing as she gripped the papers in her hands tighter and tighter and read the headers on them both over and over again. She gazed at them frantically, looking for any signs that it may just be some sick joke.

One of the papers read: "Ninja Resignation Form"

The other read: "Land of Wolves Negotiation"

"But…" Sakura choked out, "why me?"

Tsunade's eyes fell on the papers in Sakura's hands, as she was unable to look her student in the face at that moment. "If you read through the negotiation properly, you'd see that you're the clear candidate…to be this man's wife."

Sakura took in a breath and began to stare her teacher down. "But why a marriage? Why do I have to resign from being a ninja? Why can't we do something else? Why is it—?"

"Sakura," Tsunade interjected crossly, now looking up to give Sakura a stern but pained look, "I know you're confused, and resilient, and that you don't understand, but bear with me…please."

Sakura settled down at her teacher's words, and finally bowed her head in an apologetic manner.

"Sakura…I know that you're aware that the Sound is no longer an issue thanks to Sasuke." Tsunade began.

Sakura faltered at the mention of her teammate. Sasuke had killed Orochimaru and his brother a long while back, and after much persuasion he didn't kill the elders and returned to the village. All of this happened seven years ago, and even if now they were all full-fledged adults and shinobi, comrades, the rift that had grown between her and Sasuke had yet to completely heal.

"But…" Tsunade continued, "It does not mean there's peace. The Land of Wolves is a small, but strong nation bordering us and the Cloud Village. We need peace with them before they either turn on us or worse, they join up with the Cloud Village who decide to start up some trouble again. The land, however, finds marriage to be the strongest form of treaty, and we happened to come when the prince became of age. He gave us a description of the kind of girl he wants, and you fit the bill better than any other girl in the village."

Sakura looked down at the negotiation papers. It stated that the prince wanted a girl who was caring, strong, beautiful, talented, and intelligent. Sakura shifted awkwardly at the thought that the people in the village really believed that she fit the description. Being known for her fiery temper, it was a bit of a surprise that people found her all that caring.

"But…why do I have to resign from being a ninja?" Sakura asked warily.

"Because you will no longer be a Leaf Villager once this is over. You'll be a citizen of the Land of Wolves." Tsunade clarified.

"And you're absolutely positive that there's no one else who can take this place?" Sakura continued. "No one else? Not even a civilian can fit this role?"

"No one but you, Sakura. I'm sorry." Tsunade sighed. "You have twenty-four hours until you'll be escorted to the Land of Wolves. When you get there, there'll be three days of preparation and making sure that the prince sees you fit, and then, on the fourth day of your arrival, you'll be married."

"A-alright…I understand…Lady Tsunade." Sakura bowed her head as she spoke, and then began to make her way to the door.

"Are you going to pack?" Tsunade called as Sakura opened the door.

"No…" Sakura answered without turning. "I'll do that later…. First I'm going to say goodbye to everyone…."

With that Sakura stepped out and shut the door, not turning even an inch until it closed so Tsunade wouldn't catch any of the tears that began to roll down Sakura's cheeks.

'"'"'"'"

"You're getting _what_?" Naruto yelled as loudly as he could. "_Married_?"

Sakura winced back slightly from Naruto's loud exclamation and then nodded her head. "In about five day's time…."

"But-but-but…you're a Leaf Ninja! Our teammate! Our friend!" Naruto continued to shout. "Tsunade's absolutely crazy if she's really going to let you go!"

"Naruto quit yelling." Kakashi ordered. He had been struck pretty speechless too at Sakura's news. Everyone who had gathered there: him, Naruto, Sasuke, Ino, Hinata and everyone else; all of them were surprised.

"So…you really have to go?" Ino asked solemnly. She was absolutely shocked to hear her best friend had to leave them all to get married to some man she didn't know or love. "Just like that you've been thrown to the wolves…literally?"

Sakura almost cracked a smile at Ino's word-play, and nodded her head. "Just like that. I still have about twenty-two hours though."

Naruto perked up. "Then we'll spend every last one of those twenty-two hours together! All of us!"

Sakura shook her head. "That's kind of you but…I have a lot to do. I have to find all of my stuff, pack it up, get a good night's sleep. I have to get everything done within this time. That's why I gathered everyone here rather than seeking everyone out and spending all that time one-by-one telling you all that I'm leaving."

"Oh…" Naruto responded, and then looked downcast. "Alright…."

Sakura nodded her head again. "Thanks for everything guys. I only wish…that you guys could come to the wedding or something."

At the mention of the word "wedding" several people frowned sadly, but didn't say anything.

Naruto reached out and pulled Sakura into a hug. "We're all gonna miss you, you know?"

Sakura smiled and hugged him back. "I'm going to miss all of you, too."

As if on command, all of the girls, and Lee, came in and joined in a big group hug around Sakura.

Naruto's head could be seen over the girls', and he looked out at the rest of the guys. "Hey Teme, why don't you join in?"

Sasuke, who had stood nearby, simply shot Naruto a look before saying, "I don't do group hugs."

"You little—" Naruto began.

"Guys…" Sakura called, interrupting Naruto. "You're squishing me…."

At that instant everyone snapped away from Sakura, who remained in her spot with a contented smile on her face.

Naruto grinned. "Can we all say goodbye one more time tomorrow? At the gate?"

Sakura thought for a moment, and then nodded her head. "Okay…Tsunade said I had to be there by noon."

"Then we'll be there by eleven thirty!" Naruto cheered. "That'll give us plenty of time to beat up the escorts and—"

"Naruto," Sakura interjected, "it's appreciated, and I know you could probably take them, but then I'd just be in the middle of a war rather than a marriage. I don't like either of them, but I know which one I'd rather do."

Naruto's grin dropped into a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, heh…sorry…."

'"'"'"'"

The next day it was nearing noon, and everyone who had gathered yesterday, including a few extras like Sakura's parents and Tsunade, had joined up in front of the village gate.

Sakura had just pulled away from a tight embrace with her mother, and she turned to her team and friends. "So this is it."

Naruto, who at the time had been holding back tears, suddenly burst out and ran forward. He pulled Sakura into a tight hug. "We're really, really gonna miss you! We don't want you to leave!"

Sakura simply sighed and patted Naruto's back. "I'll come by someday…I'll try to visit as much as I can. I promise."

Naruto pulled away slightly and looked at Sakura. She almost grinned with how childish he looked covered in tears and sniffling.

Naruto turned his head to the group behind him. "Alright! Sakura needs a big group hug! That includes the guys! And you too, Teme!"

Sasuke shot Naruto a signature glare as the girls came forward, dragging the guys with them as they all crowded around the pink-haired girl. With a swift yank from Kiba and Lee, Sasuke was even pulled into the fray. The whole group stood there for a while, surrounding Sakura and giving little snippets of goodbyes and advice to her.

"Milady, we have to be heading out soon." One of the escorts called through the bunch of bodies of ninja.

Sakura's pink head poked out from the group, and they all let her through as they parted. Sakura stopped and turned back as she reached the end of the crowd and looked at everybody.

"Thanks everyone. I'm really going to miss you." Sakura stated.

From the group Naruto came forward again, this time pushing Sasuke with him. Kakashi followed on their heels. It was her team.

"It won't be the same without you, Sakura." Kakashi smiled through his mask.

Sakura nodded at him. "Hopefully you guys will get a good medic commissioned onto the team."

"Oh there's no way anyone would be taking your place!" Naruto exclaimed. "We'll always be Team Seven!"

Sakura smiled and then shifted her gaze to Sasuke. "Anything that you'd like to say?"

Sasuke pressed his lips together for a moment as he looked down at Sakura. "…Don't forget about any of us."

Sakura almost looked disappointed. "I would never."

Naruto scoffed. "What? No love confession?"

"Naruto…" Sakura huffed as Sasuke shot the blond a threatening death glare.

Naruto held up his hands. "Hey, just saying. You can at least—think fast!"

Naruto then lashed out and shoved Sasuke forward. Sasuke, caught off guard, stumbled forward and ran into Sakura. Sakura had reached up to try and help, and the two caught each other in an embrace. Sakura's hands around Sasuke's torso, and his hands around her waist.

The two of them stood frozen like that for a moment until Sakura pressed forward a little. "Take care." She murmured.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, but he tightened his grip on her waist slightly. "You, too." He whispered so no one else could hear.

Sakura was surprised for a moment, and a second later she let go of Sasuke and took a step back. She then turned and walked closer to her escorts.

"I guess I'm ready…." Sakura told them. The escorts nodded as they moved towards a carriage and opened the door for her.

Sakura took one last look at the bunch of Leaf Villagers, and then waved a last goodbye as she climbed into the carriage.

Everyone else also waved as Sakura's carriage began to roll down the trail. Some of the girls, Naruto, and Lee were crying, and a few of the boys looked depressed. The only one who didn't look extremely moved was Sasuke.

Little did anyone else know, though, that on the inside Sasuke was going insane.

**And there you have it! Chapter one is DONE! And so is my streak of non-writing! Joy to the world! It's been…two whole weeks since I updated anything! (At least that's how long it's been from then till now as I'm typing this. Today is actually Thanksgiving! Oh the thanks to give indeed!) Of course considering that I had held on to the last thing I updated for like…a week before I put it up, it's actually been almost a month since I've done any writing whatsoever. But now I'm back! And glad to be! So till the next chapter! Where we get to see Sasuke explode! (Figuratively, not literally…that'd be kinda gory….) **


	2. Decisions

**Chapter Two- Decisions**

Sasuke stomped through the living room of his house, seething with the anger that he had to contain ever since yesterday when Sakura told them she was going to get married and had to leave for the Land of Wolves.

Sasuke growled as he thought of this prince that Sakura would have to give herself to. He was infuriated. Why were they bothering with such a small country? Why did they give up Sakura? Who would he have to beat up in order to get her back?

The last question made Sasuke stop in his tracks. To get Sakura back would be near impossible. There was something happening on a Kage level that he couldn't do much to stop.

With that thought he smirked. He always did love a challenge.

'"'"'"'"

Sasuke marched down the halls of the Hokage's building, searching for a particular door. He found it, Tsunade's office. He took in a deep breath, and then knocked on the door.

"Enter." Tsunade's voice called from the other side.

Sasuke followed the invite and opened the door. Tsunade looked up from some work and blinked.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" Tsunade declared. "What business do you have here? You weren't assigned a mission."

"Why did you do it?" Sasuke questioned, getting straight to the point.

Tsunade's brow rose for a moment until she realized he was talking about Sakura. She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I had no choice."

A growl rumbled through Sasuke at the answer. "What do you mean you had no choice?"

Tsunade huffed and held up a copy of the negotiation she had shown to Sakura. "This is why I had no choice."

Sasuke warily stepped forward. He picked up the paper, skimming over it until he found where they spoke of the negotiation price.

It read: _In the Land of Wolves we take pride in our customs. The custom that we follow is that marriage is the strongest form of treaty between any two forces. Just recently, Prince Tsume, our land's heir to the throne, has become of age. We request that in order for us to declare peace between our two countries, we would like a bride for our prince. Our Prince Tsume has given us a description of the kind of woman he would want as a wife. The woman he would like has to be caring, strong, talented, beautiful, and intelligent. Being a ninja nation, we believe that this should not be hard to find. We will come for her…_

Sasuke stopped reading and almost slammed down the negotiation. He locked eyes with Tsunade and scowled.

Tsunade scowled right back at him. "Now do you see? Sakura was the perfect match. When she's not angry she's caring, she portrayed through her astounding medical abilities how much talent she possesses, through my training she has become strong, and she's naturally gifted with an intelligence and beauty above a common ninja. She was the top choice."

"But you gave up one of your best ninja!" Sasuke snarled, trying, and pretty much failing, to keep his voice level and cool.

Tsunade glared at Sasuke. "You think I don't know that? They were looking for one of our best! And it killed me inside too, but you should be mature enough to realize that we all have to make sacrifices! The only thing we can do is move on! Do you understand me, Uchiha?"

Sasuke tensed, and glared back at the Hokage. He grit his teeth and bit his tongue to keep from saying something foul enough to get him thrown out of the village.

"And why do you care so much?" Tsunade inquired. "I've never known you to get so heated up over something like this."

Sasuke recoiled back, and dropped his gaze on Tsunade to the floor. "She's my teammate." He muttered.

Tsunade's eyes glinted with comprehension. "You love her."

Sasuke's head whipped back up. "What are you talking about?"

Tsunade smirked, knowing she hit a mark. "Sakura. You're in love with her, aren't you? That's why it makes you so mad to hear that she's off to marry someone else, because obviously a quality of being in love is that you want her for yourself."

Sasuke swallowed hard, trying to keep down the heat creeping up to his cheeks, but his face still grew pink, and Tsunade grinned. She knew she was right. Sasuke turned and started to head for the door.

Tsunade then let out a deep sigh. "It's too bad really. I'm sure that you two would have been very happy together."

Sasuke stopped with his hand on the door handle. He didn't turn to look at the Hokage.

"Hn," he grunted in response.

Tsunade's mouth twitched. "Sasuke…if you're planning what I think you're planning, I will rip your throat out."

Sasuke smirked, though Tsunade couldn't see it. "What plan would that be?"

Tsunade scoffed. "You're one stubborn boy."

Sasuke almost grinned. "I've been told." He then quickly left the room.

'"'"'"'"

Meanwhile, Sakura had arrived in the Land of Wolves.

"Milady," one of the escorts called from outside her carriage. "We're reaching the palace."

Sakura sighed. "Alright, thanks."

Sakura glanced around, and then silently pushed aside a curtain slightly, just enough for her to look outside.

She saw houses, wooden houses, and occasionally she saw some people who stopped and watched as the carriage rolled past. The ground below them was cobbled, and where there wasn't the path or houses, there was grass and trees. It seemed like a very quaint town.

The carriage suddenly came to a stop. Sakura pulled away from the curtain quickly as an escort opened up the door.

The escort stepped aside for Sakura to come through. "Milady."

Sakura hesitated for a second, and then slid out of the carriage. She turned to the escort. "You know there's no need to always address me as 'milady'. I'm just Sakura."

The man looked slightly taken back, but quickly bowed his head. "Understood…Sakura."

Sakura smiled sweetly, and then looked up. What she saw surprised her for a moment. There was a decent sized palace in front of her. Built with stone and intricately carved with pictures of running wolves along the rims.

"Wow…" Sakura breathed.

"Um…Sakura." The escort from before called. She glanced back down as her name was called. All of her escorts waited by a large door for her.

Sakura stepped forward. The escorts opened the door as she advanced, so once she was there the door was fully opened.

She gazed inside. In front of her was a large expanse, the main hall, it stretched down to a double-door in the back. Sakura knew this Prince she's heard so much about waited on the other side of the door.

Sakura walked forward, quickly followed by her escorts. One stopped her as they neared the door in the back and walked ahead. He knocked on the door once. The sound resounded through the hall.

After a moment the door was opened by a guard. The escort whispered something to the guard, and the guard quickly disappeared as the escort opened the door further.

As Sakura was ushered forward she could hear the guard speaking.

"Prince Tsume, Lady Sakura of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, your future wife, has arrived!" He announced.

"Excellent, let her in." Sakura heard who she could only assume was the prince reply.

The doors fully opened and Sakura was urged forward. She stepped forward and entered into a throne room about the size of the entrance hall. All around there were flags and banners with a running wolf on each of them, obviously their land's symbol.

On a throne across from her Sakura saw him, Prince Tsume. Then she noticed something else.

Prince Tsume…was a kid. At least to her. He was eighteen tops. She was twenty-three. Something like lead dropped into Sakura's stomach.

Aside from the age, Prince Tsume was an average sized boy with short brown hair and brown eyes. The closer she looked at him, the more she thought he looked like Kiba, only minus the red markings that Kiba has on his face. Maybe they were related…wolves and dogs and all…. The thought of someone as un-princely as Kiba being related to royalty almost made her grin and laugh.

Prince Tsume was silent as he looked Sakura over. Seeing as she was presenting herself to royalty, Sakura had opted out of her ninja wear, especially seeing as she wasn't a ninja anymore, and changed into more "feminine" clothes as her mother had put them. They were clothes that showed off a female's natural curves, which, over her years of growing, had developed pretty well considering she had been a rough-and-tumble sort of ninja.

Finally Prince Tsume's eyes flashed, and he grinned.

"Wow, the Leaf Village sure knows how to grow 'em hot!"

In that one instant, Sakura decided that she really loathed the idea of marrying this guy.

**Ahahaha! How's that for ya? Poor Sakura! She's got a pervy prince on her hands! And we have a not-so-happy-but-plotting Sasuke! I wanted to put his plan on this chapter, but seeing as I've passed 1,500 words already and Sakura's decision about how she felt about Tsume would fit as a nice ending then I went with this! But next chapter it'll start up with Sasuke and his plan and whatnot. Then we move back to Sakura and her dealing with the schmuck. (Which I have discovered is a real word!) Anyway, so yeah! Chapter two is done! Though I haven't even posted chapter one…I'll do that real soon! And then I'll work on chapter three! **


	3. Trying to Avoiding the Subject

**Chapter Three- Trying to Avoid the Subject**

Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently against the ground. He'd been waiting on this bridge for half an hour already.

"When will those two get their asses over here?" Sasuke grumbled aloud.

As if answering his threat, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching; two pairs of footsteps. Sasuke looked down the path and saw Naruto and Ino coming over his way.

"So this is where you were, Teme!" Naruto exclaimed as they reached Sasuke.

"I told you to come here." Sasuke responded, irritated at their lateness.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well you could have been more specific than just 'meet me at the bridge' you know? You realize there's more than one bridge here?"

Sasuke snorted. "The Dobe should have realized I meant the bridge we used to meet at for missions in the past."

Naruto waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Why'd you call the two of us here anyway, Teme?"

Sasuke sighed. "We're going to the Land of Wolves."

Naruto blinked. "What, were we assigned a mission?"

Ino scoffed. "No, that's where Sakura went! You want to get Sakura back, don't you?"

Sasuke didn't say anything as Naruto exploded. "Get Sakura back? You mean we could?"

"It'll be hard." Sasuke stated.

Ino stepped forward. "More like impossible. Lady Tsunade would rip our heads off for interfering! She's going to notice we're all gone! And even if we succeeded, we couldn't just bring Sakura back, whoopee, we have Sakura again! The Land of Wolves would be pissed! And Tsunade would send her back!"

"I have a plan." Sasuke declared.

"A plan for suicide." Ino retorted.

Sasuke opened his mouth to respond, but Naruto beat him to it. "Ah, quit shooting at him! If he has a plan it's almost sure-fire! They've rarely failed before! Especially since this time Sasuke would be motivated by love!"

Naruto's last statement caught both Ino and Sasuke stunned.

Sasuke punched Naruto in the head. "Who said I was in love with her?" He seethed.

"Well, it is pretty obvious." Both Naruto and Ino stated simultaneously.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. This again. "I just…" he couldn't think of a good retort at the moment.

Naruto grinned. "HA! I knew you loved her! Sasuke loves Sakura!"

"Shut up, Dobe." Sasuke hissed.

Ino sighed. "Sakura is so lucky! Prince versus prince-like! I can't wait to see that!"

"Yamanaka," Sasuke glowered threateningly.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Naruto shouted excitedly. "Let's go!"

Sasuke frowned, but inside he felt grateful the two would come with him to get Sakura back. "Meet me at the village gate tonight at midnight. We can't have anybody noticing us leaving. Ino, tell your parents or someone that you have a mission."

"Parents, bummer." Naruto stated. "I guess this is one of the good things about not having them, you don't need to lie to get anywhere."

Sasuke held back the urge to say something, and simply began to walk away. "Both of you be there."

"Aye, aye, captain!" Naruto called after him before he and Ino took off in the opposite direction.

'"'"'"'"

"_Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!" _Sakura mentally shouted. _"Why did it take me this long to realize something like this?" _

Sakura nervously paced the length of her bedroom in the palace, frantically searching her mind for answers to her dilemma.

"_I mean…no shit, Sakura, you have to marry this guy, but you should have known he could be anywhere from princely to…ugh…this. Freaking pervert. 'The Leaf Village really knows how to grow 'em hot', oh god!" _

Sakura threw herself onto her bed and let out a deep sigh.

"Till death do us part…I'd kill myself now if a treaty between two places wasn't at stake." Sakura huffed, and pressed her face into her pillow. "Life sucks…."

**But hey, you'll be a princess technically! **Sakura's inner exclaimed.

"_Oh, like I need you here right now. And shut up. It's not like that matters."_

**Besides getting all the cool, princess-y stuff that people like Ino only dream of having.**

"_Okay, yeah, get out of lala land, come back to reality. I have to marry a PERVERT!" _

**Geh…well…yeah. I bet he'll try to french you or something first time you kiss.**

At that Sakura suddenly bolted up straight.

"Fuck!" She exclaimed, and then quickly slapped a hand over her mouth, looking around for a moment to see if anyone was going to come in to make sure she was okay.

**Princesses shouldn't use such foul language. **Her inner snickered.

"_Eff-off, like I care; except if some maid comes in worried I'm being attacked or something. But what you said! My first kiss has to be with HIM?" _

…**Yeah, that sounds right. That sucks.**

"_Your enthusiastic concern is dually noted oh crappy conscious of mine." _

**Just doing my job.**

Sakura then toned out the ranting of her inner, stood up, and walked towards the glass door leading out to a balcony in her room. Sakura stepped out and breathed in the cool night air. She walked forward and bent over the balcony's edge, looking out to the land around her.

She could see the entire town, and beyond that there were open fields that went on and on until they were cut off way in the distance by a forest. The forest in the Land of Fire. It was almost ironic how close she still was to home. She almost felt as though she could reach out and touch her homeland again.

Sakura let out a heavy sigh. _"I wonder how everyone else is now…. Naruto, Sasuke, Ino…it's almost midnight now that I think about it. They all must be fast asleep…. I guess I should do that too."_

Sakura then pulled herself away from the balcony edge and walked back inside to spend her first night in her new village.

'"'"'"'"

Meanwhile, Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino all headed separately for the village gates. Sasuke crept along silently, checking every once in a while for any signs that someone had spotted or noticed him. He gave one last dash and wound up at his destination. The village gates loomed high overhead, shut closed for the night.

Sasuke glanced around just as both Naruto and Ino came from opposite ends to meet Sasuke.

"Yo, Teme!" Naruto greeted.

Sasuke shot Naruto a look and gave him a signal to say "be quiet." Naruto closed his mouth and walked forward. The three huddled up in front of the gates for a moment.

"So what do we do now?" Ino whispered. "The gates are shut."

Sasuke snorted. "Like it matters, we're ninja."

The three then broke apart from their huddle to face the wall. Concentrating for a moment, they then silently ran forward, straight for the walls. All of them connected to the walls with their feet and began to scale the sides. They quickly reached the top and all three of them bounded onto the flat surface on top of the wall.

Without a word, they all jumped off the wall, landing in the tops of trees to quickly make their way down to the ground below. They clustered together on the trail and took a look back at the village gates.

"That was easier than I thought." Ino stated aloud.

Sasuke and Naruto both nodded, and then Sasuke looked at them both. "We have to move quickly."

Nothing else was said as they all took off into the trees, heading straight for the Land of Wolves.

"_Sakura…" _Sasuke thought, _"We're coming."_

'"'"'"'"

"You look stunning in that dress, you know?" Prince Tsume stated as Sakura walked into the throne room she had been in yesterday. Before she had left, her mother had made her pack some nice dresses to wear. The one she wore at that moment was red rimmed with gold; it reminded her of the Land of Fire.

"_Well at least he didn't call me 'hot'." _Sakura thought bitterly.

"It fits you well, makes your butt look bigger. I like." Prince Tsume grinned as she drew closer.

Sakura had to try hard not to wrinkle her nose in disgust. _"On second thought, I liked it better when he was just saying I was hot." _

**Well you're sure to get a lot of affection at least.**

Sakura rolled her eyes, hoping Tsume hadn't noticed. _"Oh kill me."_

**Now, now, we went over that yesterday. That wouldn't be good for the treaty. **

"Then why don't you shut the fuck up you two-timing, backstabbing—" Sakura muttered aloud.

"What?" Tsume inquired.

Sakura shook herself. "Oh, nothing."

Tsume hummed. "Right. Why don't you take a seat?"

Sakura scanned around for a moment, the only seat there was the one Tsume was seated on.

"Uh…there doesn't seem to be—" Sakura began.

Tsume scooted over slightly and patted the open space. "Here."

"_Oh god no…try to get out of this Sakura!" _

"But it's a pretty small place. I don't think it'd be very comfortable."

Tsume reached out, grabbed Sakura's sleeve, and pulled her in. "It's fine. It's bigger than you think."

Sakura was pulled down into the chair with a small thud. It was a bit roomier than she thought, but she was still uncomfortably, or at least to her it was uncomfortable, pressed against Tsume.

"There's no need to be so timid." Tsume declared, and then cupped Sakura's face with one hand so she faced him. "We're going to be married after all."

"_Oh fuck, oh fuck, is he going to—?" _

A weight dropped into Sakura's stomach as Tsume began to inch closer to her face. Her mind raced at a hundred miles an hour trying to find a way out of having to kiss him.

An idea popped into Sakura's head, and she suddenly leaped out of the chair, leaving a stunned Tsume holding air.

Tsume stood. "I told you, there's nothing to be so nervous or shy about."

Sakura shook her head. "No, something fell into my eye." Sakura lied and rubbed her eye to emphasize it.

Tsume stepped closer. "Let me see."

Sakura stepped back. "No, no. Let me just wash my eye out real quick."

"I'll show you to the bathrooms then."

Sakura shook her head again and continued to step back. "Oh no, I know where they are. Thank you though."

With that, Sakura beat a hasty retreat out of the throne room and into the halls.

**I don't think that plan's gonna work on your wedding day. You'll have to kiss him eventually.**

"_You shut up. You're not helping at all. And I at least want to keep him off me till then."_

**He'll still be your first kiss. Unlike how our fantasies of Sasuke being our first kiss used to go.**

At her inner's mention of Sasuke Sakura stopped for a moment. Truthfully, she had never been able to get over Sasuke. Something about him just kept pulling her back. It's a fact she's lived with for most of her life now.

Sakura frowned sadly. She hoped he was okay.

At that same instant, over at the front of the town, Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino entered the village.

Now everything began.

**I almost feel like I just finished writing a three chapter prologue. Hmmm…fascinating. I'm hungry…I smell food somewhere! Anyway, back on track. This story may actually already be halfway over…in my planning it looked like this'd be a nine chapter story, but by the time the first chapter ended two of my "chapters" were already all written out. At this moment…next up is the equivalent of my sixth "chapter." Just finished the fifth. So…yeah. And I imagine six and most of seven to be done in the next chapter, then the rest of seven, most of eight. Finally the end of eight and my epilogue nine. Yeah…six chapters. But then I guess I should have started "The Turning Leaf" which will hopefully be the longest story ever. 15-20 chapters at least…hopefully. We'll have to see if what I just ranted about is any indicator to how stuff like that goes. Speaking of ranting, I think I've done enough of that. Okami-chan out! **


	4. Infiltration

**Chapter Four- Infiltration**

"Wow, it sure is pretty here." Ino breathed in awe as the team walked through the town.

"We're not here for sightseeing." Sasuke stated dryly.

Ino frowned. "No need to be so wound up, you know?"

Sasuke turned to the female blond and glared at her, not saying anything before he turned on his heel and continued to walk forward.

Ino huffed. "What's got him so bad?"

"He cares about Sakura a lot." Naruto responded next to her. "He probably just wants to get this over with and come home with her."

Ino looked over to Sasuke, who was still walking forward, not realizing or not caring that the two of them had hung back. "Yeah, I guess."

Naruto patted Ino's shoulder. "But hey, look how bad we'll be able to bag on him once this is all over! And with Sakura around!"

Ino smiled lightly. "Yeah, with Sakura."

With that, the two sped up to catch up with Sasuke.

'"'"'"'"

"Sakura, could you come over here?" Tsume called.

In her mind Sakura was shaking her head screaming "fuck no! Pervert!" but on the outside she had no such luck. "Oh, be right there."

Sakura approached Tsume; the two of them were in the ballroom of the palace. As she neared Tsume he held out his hand.

"Why don't we dance?" Tsume asked.

"_Uh, because I'd rather _not _be close to you in any way." _Sakura mentally retorted.

"Oh, well, I'm not much of a dancer…so…." Sakura stammered.

"Nonsense," Tsume responded, "after all, they say you're talented, and it's the guy who does most of the leading, I bet you'd catch on quick."

**Hmm…he beat you there. **

"_You know, aren't you supposed to be my inner thoughts? You fail." _

**I am the female side of you! It's your ninja, pervert-hating side of you that's saying "don't go near this guy!" Your feminine side, however, which is me, is actually kinda accepting. I mean, we're keeping peace between two nations, and we get to become royalty! Now we get to dance with a prince! How lucky can ya get?**

"_If a dragon suddenly came in through the roof and snapped him up, then I'd be lucky…or barbequed. Either choices are better than marrying this guy." _

**Oh come on, he's actually being nice right now. He hasn't said a perverted comment in quite a while! Aren't you the one who's always looking towards the positive sides of people? **

"_Well…it's true he hasn't said anything perverted…and…he has been pretty nice. He's not that bad a guy…."_

**Ha!**

"_I could still do without the perverted-ness."_

**Humph…well princess, you're kinda looking like the princess of space-out right now. Snap to attention! **

"Huh?" Sakura stammered.

Tsume gave her a weird look. "Spacing out?"

"What…oh…uh, yeah." Sakura replied. "What was going on?"

Tsume waved his outstretched hand a little. "Dancing. You and me."

"Oh…uh…really I'd…rather not."

Tsume frowned. "You know we'll have to dance at the wedding. Don't consider this a random thing, consider it…practice."

"Uh…well…."

**Oh, just do it! **

Sakura took a step forward, and Tsume ushered her forward. She took his hand, and Tsume pulled her in, putting his other hand a little low on her waist.

"_If he starts feeling me up, I'm going to make sure he can't have children." _

**Well, no one's perfect. **

Music started from the back at that moment, and Tsume began to lead Sakura in a waltz. Sakura worked carefully, following his small gestures and keeping up with him.

"See, you're doing fine." Tsume smiled.

"Right…." Sakura murmured lowly.

Tsume pulled Sakura in a little closer so Sakura would look up at him. "You know, I think we actually work very well together. Perhaps fate intended for this arranged marriage to be."

Sakura looked down to his shoulder. "Uh…sure."

Tsume chuckled lightly. "You're still so bashful. There's really no need."

Tsume let go of his hold on Sakura's waist and moved his hand to her chin to make her look back up at him.

"I promise that we'll have a nice life together." Tsume breathed as he began to move forward.

Sakura's mind reeled; he was going to try to kiss her again. She tried to subtly pull back, but he had her chin firmly. This time she didn't know if she could get away.

"Prince Tsume, dinner is prepared."

Tsume froze and look up to where a maid stood in the doorway. She looked a little nervous, obviously realizing what she walked in on. Sakura couldn't mentally thank her enough.

"Oh, food." Sakura declared, moving away from Tsume. "Great, I am pretty hungry."

"Right, dinner." Tsume echoed from behind her.

Sakura could feel his depression, seeing as it was the second try, and fail, for him to kiss her.

But in her own mind, she couldn't be happier. Now all she needed were her friends and to be a Leaf Ninja again and her life would feel perfect.

'"'"'"'"

Sakura opened her eyes. She felt tired, but she wanted to be up. Something was in front of her.

Sakura blinked, focusing her gaze on the figure in front of her. It seemed familiar.

"_Oh god, did Tsume sneak in here?" _She wondered.

Then it registered. The one in front of her was not Tsume, but another man that she knew.

"Sasuke," Sakura gasped.

Sasuke held up his hands and clamped them firmly on Sakura's shoulders, not saying a word. Then Sakura noticed something else, there was something in the background. Two somethings. It was Naruto and Ino. She stared at them, located some distance away behind Sasuke. Both of them were waving their arms, yelling something that she couldn't hear.

Sasuke's grip on her shoulders suddenly loosed, and he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Caught off guard, Sakura merely stood there, stunned.

"I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me." Sasuke whispered in her ear, and then suddenly pulled back only to fill in the gap again and put his mouth over hers in a sweet kiss.

Sakura was struck speechless as Sasuke kissed her. Soon after her mind worked through the new information and she reached out to grasp his shirt and began to kiss him back.

As she began to reply Sasuke suddenly jolted away. His face revealed his surprise. Sakura was confused for a moment, and then Sasuke turned and began to run away. Naruto and Ino faded away as he ran past them.

"Sasuke!" Sakura called. "Sasuke!"

Everything began to fade out as Sasuke disappeared from sight.

"_Sasuke!_" Sakura exclaimed, leaping up into a sitting position.

She panted, realizing she was still in her room in the Land of Wolves.

"Sasuke…" Sakura murmured, reaching up and touching her lips. She looked around; it must have been about midnight. Light from the moon poured into her room from her open doorway that led to her balcony.

…Open doorway? Sakura stared at the door.

"I…could have sworn that I closed that; that it _was _closed when I went to bed." Sakura muttered as she slid out of bed and walked over to the door.

A warm breeze fluttered in through the open doorway. Sakura reached up, grasped the handle, and slowly shut the door.

"I really could have sworn I closed it…." Sakura stated to herself.

As she closed the door, her dream floated through her mind again. Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino…Sasuke kissing her.

Sakura stopped at that thought. Sasuke kissing her…seeming surprised when she kissed him back.

"Sasuke…." Sakura whispered. "Could he…?"

Sakura walked back to her bed, climbed in, and laid back down, pulling the covers back over herself.

"_No," _she thought, _"I doubt it." _

'"'"'"'"

"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" Ino questioned when morning came and the three walked along the outskirts of the town. They couldn't risk getting too close at the time, since if Sakura managed to spot them their whole plan would be ruined.

"I dunno. Sasuke?" Naruto responded and then looked over to his dark-haired teammate.

Sasuke frowned. "I'm still thinking. We need something good."

"Well plan-maker, that idea better come soon, because Sakura's getting married tomorrow." Ino declared.

Sasuke whipped his head to look at the kunoichi. "Tomorrow?"

Ino nodded. "Sakura mentioned it to me at some point before she left. She said there would be only three days between the time she got there and her marriage day. Today's the last day."

"Shit," Sasuke cursed, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well that's bad. We have to come up with something, and fast!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke's frown deepened. _"What am I supposed to do? Just barging in would probably be suicide. We'd have a whole army of pissed off Land of Wolves soldiers on our tails." _

Sasuke let out a deep sigh and looked towards the palace.

"_Just hold on Sakura…we'll come for you." _

**And cut! Hmmm…I'm gonna have to review what I said. I think I thought that the marriage would have already started by now, but it didn't. Either way, story's still only gonna be six chapters. Sad, sad, yes. So next chapter it's the marriage, and all the hell that follows! Hmmm…all I can say is…damn I'm doing good! Only the first chapter is out right now and here I am writing the author's note for the fourth chapter! Getting ahead! Finally! And listening to a lot of Bleach music! I've been obsessed with beginning and ending theme songs of anime's lately…. Just got to the ninth ending theme song…whatever it's called. I have no idea…. Anyway! Keep reading people! I'm out for now! **

**And now take note: I published this to you guys today, December 17, and now, things will fall silent for at least six days. Sorry y'all, but tomorrow I'm leaving on a trip till the 23****rd****, and I won't have my laptop with me. (Trying to pack light, and I already have a lot to pack.) So…hope you enjoyed this chapter! And hopefully over my trip I'll get all of chapter five written out so when I come home I can write away! (And I'll be on winter break, so even more of a chance!) At least I'll be bringing my idea notebook with me. Till then! **


	5. Wedding Crashers

**Chapter Five- Wedding Crashers**

Sakura looked at herself in a large mirror. She was garbed in her wedding dress with maids surrounding her to see if the dress fit her. They were all smiling, which told Sakura they thought it fit very nicely. She swept a look at herself up and down. Her dress was very traditional. A slimming fit, pure white, besides the veil on her head which sported a little bit of a ruff of wolf fur to adorn her head like a tiara to represent the country.

She turned to one of the maids who had helped her into the dress. "So I guess it's good."

The maid nodded her head. "Very good, milady. Prince Tsume will absolutely love it."

Sakura tried to smile, but she was pretty sure it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah…I bet he will."

"I wish I had a figure like yours, milady. If you don't mind me saying…." A maid stated a little bashfully from Sakura's left. She was a little on the chubby side.

Sakura glanced at herself in the mirror again. It was true that over the years she had grown some feminine curves, and she guessed that's what made people in the Leaf Village decide she fit the "pretty" standards for being in this situation in the first place.

"Oh…well, thank you. I don't mind." Sakura responded with a bit more of a genuine smile.

The maid suddenly looked shy, bowed, and shuffled backwards.

Sakura almost giggled, but held it back as she turned to the first maid. "So is this all then?"

The maid nodded, almost looking as nervous or shy as the second. "Would you like Prince Tsume to see?"

Sakura tried hard not to frown as she replied. "Uh…no…let's make him wait till tomorrow. I could really go for just getting back into my normal clothes and getting a little something to eat."

The maids all nodded their heads in unison, and then a couple stepped up to help Sakura out of her dress.

"_Tomorrow…" _Sakura thought, _"That's how much time is left…till I have to marry him. Sigh…." _

'"'"'"'"

Naruto and Ino sat around idly in their hotel room. Naruto had a cup of instant ramen in front of him, and was currently busying himself with getting every last bit of it. Ino laid on her bed, flipping through a magazine that she had bought in town.

The door suddenly clicked, and they both looked up to see Sasuke enter the room.

"So what's up?" Naruto questioned.

"I went by the palace…secretly of course, and had a look around." Sasuke answered.

"Did you see Sakura?" Both Naruto and Ino asked simultaneously.

Sasuke suddenly looked away from them for a moment. "I did."

"Annnnd?" Naruto pressed.

"She was looking at herself in a mirror with a bunch of maids around. She was in a wedding dress."

Ino frowned. "Wait, the wedding isn't—"

"It was just to see if it'd fit. I left as the maids came around her to take it off." Sasuke declared.

Naruto grinned slyly. "Well, seems my influence has yet to reach you, eh Teme? Didn't want to hang around for at least a minute more?"

Sasuke scowled and glared at the blond. "Shut up, Dobe. I have more self control than you do."

"So you admit a part of you wanted to stay!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sasuke's brow twitched, he had almost lost the effect of his glare. "I never said that."

"But you didn't deny it either!" Naruto chortled.

"Just shut up already." Sasuke growled. "At least I came up with a plan in that time."

Naruto stopped laughing and Ino closed her magazine. They both snapped to attention.

"So what's the plan then?" Ino asked.

Sasuke huffed. "Simpler than I would have thought. See…"

'"'"'"'"

"Alright milady, you're all done." A maid beamed as she looked at Sakura, closing a lid of make-up and then putting it to the side.

Sakura raised her head to look into a vanity mirror. Her face had been lightly brushed up with spots of make-up, eyeliner, lipstick, and so on. On top of that, she was in her wedding dress again.

"_Today…" _Sakura sighed mentally, _"Today's the day…today I have to marry him…." _

Sakura cracked one of her signature fake smiles. "Yes. Thank you. It looks very nice."

The maid blushed slightly; it seemed none of the maids were very used to such nice treatment. Some people in the palace must be real snobs, Sakura thought.

Sakura stood. "What time is it?"

"Quarter till noon, milady." The maid answered. "You have about half an hour until the ceremony will begin."

"Right…thanks." Sakura replied, and walked over to the glass door to her balcony. She looked down, the village was decorated in a festive manner with flowers and banners, all set up in preparation for the marriage that would take place today. People were already crowded near the gates of the palace. The wedding would be an open thing, to be viewed by any who wished to see the event.

Sakura let out a barely audible sigh. In a few minutes she knew the gates would open, people would pour in, and simply wait as the last few minutes of the half hour ticked by till the wedding began.

"Sakura!" Sakura's whole body tensed as the call rang through the room.

"Uh…Prince Tsume?" Sakura shakily called back. She knew it was him just behind the door to her room.

"Sad to say I can't come in at the moment; superstitions running and all that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding, but I just wanted to say something." Tsume's voice echoed in a muffled tone through the door.

Sakura took a little step back, but tried not to show her discomfort to her maids who all either had their eyes glued on her or the door.

"Yes?" Sakura responded.

"No need to sound so nervous, Sakura. Things don't need to be as they did before. I think it's cuter when a woman tries to be brave. I'm sure you'd be stunning." Sakura could almost see that perverted grin on his face she so wished to punch at the moment. "But I'll have you know that I'm fully prepared for today, and in fact, I look towards it in anticipation. I really can't wait for us to be married, and I can only hope you feel the same."

"_I can't wait for someone to burst through the window and kill me now, but it seems I'm out of luck." _Sakura thought bitterly.

"So before the wedding music plays and we're up there exchanging our vows, I want you to know in advanced: you're quite the amazing person. You may still be a little shy around me, but I know after this that things will work out. I look forward to our happy lives together."

"_Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it! _Please _no!" _

"I love you, Sakura."

At that moment Sakura was almost tempted to open the door, punch Tsume in the face, then run out to her balcony, jump off, and pray the fall would kill her. She knew the weight of the word "love", it was a word shared by only those of great closeness. Sakura had said before that she was in love with Sasuke, and she meant it, Tsume saying it now…she knew it'd be impossible for her to say it back.

"_The term a rock and a hard place got nothing on this." _Sakura roared as the maids all shifted their gazes to her with wide, bewildered eyes. Oh the gossip that would spread.

Sakura's throat was dry, her mouth moved, but no words came out. Finally she swallowed and cleared her throat. "I…don't know what to say."

She couldn't see him, but Sakura was pretty sure that a saddened face danced briefly across Tsume's features.

"That's alright…" Tsume called, "I shall see you later. The wedding is going to start soon."

Sakura then faintly heard the sounds of Tsume's footsteps echoing down the halls as he retreated from the door.

In that instant utter silence fell. No one made a sound. The tension almost choked Sakura.

A maid suddenly cleared her throat. "Milady…if you wish for us to forget what we heard, we can—"

Sakura shook her head. "It's alright. Let's just keep getting ready."

None of the maids questioned her, and they all continued about their business.

'"'"'"'"

"_They say that a wedding day is a girl's most important day or their favorite day or whatever…well, all I can say is…fuck that. The day I die is what I'm really looking forward to!" _Sakura declared mentally as the sound of "Here Comes the Bride" began to echo through the palace.

Sakura sucked in a deep breath. It was time to start the wedding. The doors opened at that moment and the whole entrance hall was exposed to her. Seats had been set up and an aisle had been lined with flowers and streams of white ribbons.

She easily discerned Tsume up at the front next to a podium with a priest. He looked down at her with a content smile on his face, as if this was all he ever dreamed of.

Sakura began to step forward as a flower girl skipped ahead of her, flinging rose petals over the ground in front of her.

They all too quickly for Sakura reached the podium, and Sakura stepped up to stand in front of Tsume, who passed her a quick little wink that sent a roil of nausea treading through her.

"_Barfing, yes, that's one way to ruin a wedding, and your reputation in general." _

Silence filled the altar as the music faded off and the priest prepped himself to begin the marriage ceremony speech.

Only that's not how it went.

Silence filled the altar for just a second before the next noise that erupted through the halls was the sound of a great explosion down at the gates.

Everyone's heads whipped towards the gates, which now lay in rubble and wooden shards across the ground as three figures emerged from the smoke.

Sakura almost fell in a dead faint as she recognized Ino and Naruto headed by Sasuke making their way in.

"Sasuke…." Sakura whispered, most shocked to see him there of all people.

Tsume stared bewildered at the three advancing ninja.

"What's the meaning of this?" He bellowed.

A kunai suddenly struck the ground right in front of Tsume. Sasuke's outstretched hand pulled back towards another waiting kunai.

"We're here to take back what's ours." Sasuke responded.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Naruto cheered. "Sakura belongs with us!"

Sakura stared at the three, almost cracking a laugh. Her wishes seemed to be answered.

The wedding crashers had arrived.

**Bwahaha! Well, this is something! This isn't where I thought I'd end this! I thought I'd end at like…a climatic point in the battle or at the end…but no…I am here. Not sure if this'll extend the story to seven chapters or not. I'll have to see. Anyways! So I'm back! It's Christmas Eve! (For those that celebrate Christmas.) And I have done my writing! Yay! I did what I'd promise! I got back from my trip yesterday (then crashed out because it was 11 at night) and then well…I got very sidetracked today and now it's like…3, but I still got my job done! That's rare! And I'm ready to start up chapter six! So till then! **  
**And now as I sit here proofing this…merry Christmas! **


	6. Bloody Negotiations

**Chapter Six- Bloody Negotiations**

Tsume stared at Sasuke with a look mixed with surprise and anger.

"You Leaf Ninja dare to come in here and crash our wedding? We have a treaty going! What is that Hokage thinking?" Tsume growled.

"Grandma Tsunade doesn't even know we're gone!" Naruto retorted. "And now even if she does it's a little late! So shut your mouth! We already said it! Sakura belongs to us!"

"Naruto, that's enough." Sasuke interjected crossly. "We're not here to scream at each other."

Sasuke looked towards Sakura, who hadn't been able to stop staring at Sasuke ever since the three of them broke in. Sakura took a sharp intake of breath when Sasuke look towards her. His look was determined, sharp, but with a hint of softness as he stared back at her.

"_What's gotten into him?" _Sakura thought. _"This isn't like him at all."_

A small smirk graced Sasuke's lips momentarily as if he had read her thoughts, and then he shifted his gaze back to Tsume.

"If you don't want to lose a limb, I'd suggest just listening to us." Sasuke declared.

Tsume's stare slowly turned into a glare. "You infiltrate our village, blow up our gate, crash my wedding, and now you want me to just listen to you?"

"_Surprisingly enough…he kinda has a point." _Sakura thought ironically.

"Guards! I want them gone!" Tsume ordered.

Suddenly, groups of Tsume's guards poured in through the doors or stood up from the rows of people, all armed to protect and serve their prince's biddings. They all advanced on the three ninja.

"Damn it." Sasuke cursed under his breath as he pulled out a kunai. With Sakura, random civilians, and Tsume in there whom he all wanted to refrain from killing on top of being in an enclosed space, this was going to be hard.

"Ino, make sure no one gets to Sakura, especially not that stupid prince! Naruto, make some clones and lure the guards away from the civilians!" Sasuke ordered.

"Got it!" Ino replied, and leapt over the guards to get to Sakura.

"Who died and made you leader? But whatever!" Naruto responded as he made his shadow clone hand sign.

Ino crashed her foot onto one of the guard's heads and landed next to Sakura.

"Ino! What are you three doing here?" Sakura questioned.

"We had a sudden ambition to be wedding crashers! Why the hell do you think we're here? Naruto already shouted about it!" Ino answered as she swung a roundhouse into a guard's chest, sending him colliding noisily into two other guards. "There's no way we'd let you be married off to some random guy! Even if he is a prince!"

"Then I can't thank you enough, truthfully!" Sakura announced over the commotion. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Duck now!"

Not bothering to question, Ino threw herself to the floor just as a guard launched himself at her. Sakura suddenly pulled out a kunai from a fold in her dress and drove it into the metal of the guard's armor. She then did a snap kick to his abdomen, sending him flying away.

Ino gawked at Sakura as she bounced back up. "You have hidden kunai?"

"Eh, assassins, perverted attempts, unhappy fangirls; could never be too careful." Sakura shrugged as she threw one of her stashed kunai, stabbing a guard at the exposed joint of his knee and causing him to topple to the floor.

"Yay ninja's caution!" Ino cheered as she fell back to the floor to dodge an attacking guard and do a sweep kick, knocking him off his feet.

"Anyway…while I can understand you and Naruto being here, why is Sasuke here? Was he dragged by Naruto?" Sakura asked.

Ino scoffed as she and Sakura fell back-to-back to keep the guards at bay. "Please, he's the one who organized this!"

"What?" Sakura gasped as Ino shouted "duck!" and they fell to the floor only to have a sword sweep above their heads.

Ino shot a kick up from the ground, knocking the guard back into another. They stood back up and returned to their back-to-back position as their conversation continued.

"You mean you never figured it out? Wow, what a cliché." Ino huffed. "It's always the couple that doesn't realize how into each other they are."

"What are you talking about?" Sakura questioned as she left Ino's back for a moment to punch a guard in the chest, sending him soaring across the room.

"Sasuke's in freaking love with you! That's what!" Ino answered.

Sakura froze, and she swept her gaze across the room momentarily and spotted Sasuke tackling a guard and flipping him sideways into three others. A clone of Naruto suddenly flipped over him in a midair roundhouse kick, causing Sasuke to duck and let the clone through. When he stood up he looked over to the front of the altar and met eyes with Sakura.

Sasuke suddenly smirked at her; it was one Sakura recognized, one that she often noticed and wondered about because it always seemed to be directed at only her. It was reserved only for her because in that smirk was Sasuke's true feelings. Feelings saved only for that special One. It was a curve of the mouth meant to symbolize his love for her that she never noticed until today.

Sakura's knees suddenly felt weak as all her feelings for Sasuke rushed into her. She loved him and he loved her. It was all her wildest dreams come true.

That special smirk suddenly dissolved from Sasuke's face, only to be replaced by one of alarm. That look snapped Sakura back to her senses, and she became aware of the guard that barreled towards her.

With trained ninja speed, she threw one of her signature punches, cracking right through the metal of the guard's armor and probably cracking his ribs pretty good, sending him flipping over two others guards who gawked in utter shock at Sakura's revealed strength.

Sakura winced and looked down at her now bloodied hand.

"_Mental note to self: don't do that again without your gloves." _

Sakura covered her bloodied hand, quickly sending her medical chakra into her other hand, healing her injured one.

Just as she finished healing it, she suddenly heard Tsume's voice.

"Sakura!"

Sakura looked up, Tsume had been pulled to the side by a guard for his own protection, and he looked towards Sakura with a range of emotions on his face that went from anger to concern. No doubt he had witnessed just how tough she was in that punch.

"What are you doing?" Tsume shouted over the commotion of clashing metal.

Sakura stared at Tsume for a moment before she shut her eyes and then opened them again, revealing a determined flare sparking across her green orbs.

"I'm doing what I believe is right! And that's fighting alongside my friends!" Sakura answered.

Tsume looked taken aback from Sakura's statement, but Sakura paid no mind to it, and turned her attention back to Ino, whom she had left momentarily in the events that occurred. She pressed her back to Ino's again, letting her know she was back.

"I told ya so!" Ino grinned. "I caught a glimpse of that look Sasuke gave you! Yow! Hotness!"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "We're in the middle of a battle with our lives and my status as a civilian and/or ninja on the line, and you're commenting about the guy you just said was in love with me!"

"Business as usual my sister!" Ino chuckled, and then lashed out at a guard with a hard side kick.

Sakura laughed, and then gave a kick at a guard who approached her.

"Oh damn it." Sakura cursed, looking down at the rip in her dress she just caused by the kick. "Fighting in a wedding dress, not my first choice."

"And whose fault is that?" Ino responded.

"My fucking good looks. That's what got me into this mess."

Ino and Sakura then burst out into a round of laughter. The guards around them froze for a moment and simply stared; caught off guard by the girls' sudden laughter.

Once the two controlled themselves though, they immediately turned serious once more, and the lot of guards around them were suddenly knocked away.

Getting rid of the wall of guards that had surrounded them, they looked around to see that most of the fighting seemed to be over. Guards lay either unconscious or dead on the floor, and Naruto and Sasuke seemed to be finishing off the last of them.

Naruto fell onto a guard with an axe kick to the top of their head, knocking them unconscious and making them topple to the floor. Once he hit the ground he looked around. Sasuke stood next to him, and both glanced around to confirm that they had defeated all of the guards.

Ino let out a deep sigh. "Success!"

"This isn't possible!"

The four looked towards a corner of the altar. Tsume stood there, staring around the area in shock.

"How could three simple ninja defeat all of my men?" Tsume roared.

Naruto grinned. "We're not simple ninja! I'm gonna be the next Hokage! And Sasuke and Ino are just kickass like that! And you didn't count Sakura! She could have broken your ribs and ripped off your balls at any given time!"

"Naruto!" Sakura scolded, an embarrassed blush reaching her cheeks at the thought of touching any part of Tsume.

"Well it's true." Ino whispered to Sakura.

Sakura huffed as Sasuke began to approach Tsume. A look almost like fear crossed Tsume's face as Sasuke drew nearer.

"Stay back!" Tsume shouted. "Stay back or I'll…!"

"Do what?" Sasuke growled in a threatening tone. "What could a simple, defenseless prince do against a guy who just beat the crap out of all his guards?"

Tsume's face portrayed his intense anger, but also his fear as Sasuke got closer and closer.

Sasuke stopped just out of arm's reach from Tsume, the closeness already having a large effect on the prince.

"Wow…fearless against a girl if she's pretty, but a total baby when faced against a man." Sakura muttered under her breath.

Tsume retracted farther and farther against the wall behind him. "What do you want with me? Spit it out!"

Sasuke scowled. "Is the weakling prince trying to order around the strong ninja?"

If Sakura could see Tsume's pants through a pile of guards' bodies, she wouldn't be surprised to see a wet stain starting to creep along the edges of his inner pant legs.

"Just tell me what you want." Tsume echoed in a smaller voice. Sasuke almost smirked at the man's pathetic scene.

Holding back a chuckle, Sasuke looked Tsume straight in the eye. "You don't need to freak out so much. Just cooperate and listen. We're here to negotiate."

**Well what do ya know? I pulled it off! Looks like there will be a chapter seven to this story! I still have a ways to go! But I am pretty confident it'll end in the next chapter. There just may not be an epilogue or something. I dunno. I wanted the epilogue to just be a small tag on the end since I can't really think of anything big. Unless I did think of something bigger than what I kinda have planned. We'll have to see. In either case. It's still December 25****th****! It's still Christmas! I wrote this whole chapter in one sitting! Wow…been a bit since I pulled that off. Feels great! Soooo…that's about it. Till the next chapter peoples! **


	7. I Do?

**Chapter Seven- I Do?**

Tsume stared at Sasuke with a perplexed expression.

"What do you mean by 'negotiate'?" Tsume questioned.

"I mean coming to a conclusion that will make all of us happy." Sasuke answered lowly, not very happy to be so close to the guy who was trying to take Sakura away from them.

Tsume pressed his lips together into a thin line, and he let out a deep breath through his nose. "Alright…I'll listen to what you have to say."

Sasuke smirked. "First off, you're giving Sakura back to us."

Tsume's eyes hardened. "But what if I want her?"

"Then too freaking bad. I can lop your head off right now then without another thought." Sasuke responded.

Tsume weighed his options, and then nodded reluctantly. "Alright…but what do I get in return?"

"For one, you get an alliance with us still. You'll be protected and helped when you're in a time of need. Also, if you so badly want someone, I'll personally find you a suitable wife that fits the standards you set up." Sasuke explained.

Tsume gazed at Sasuke skeptically. "You? Find a wife for me who would be more perfect than Sakura?"

"She probably won't be as perfect, seeing as that's kind of hard to find…" Sasuke just noticed Sakura blushing as he made that statement, and he smirked, "but we will find you someone."

Tsume seemed to contemplate what he had been told for a few moments before he spoke. "So we both get a treaty, you get Sakura, and I get a girl who fits my desires almost as well as Sakura does?"

Sasuke nodded, and Tsume mulled the deal over again. "Are you all going to be the ones responsible for everything if things go wrong?"

"I would assume so. Tsunade's probably noticed we're gone by now so we're probably going to get hell when we get back whether the deal works out or not. So you have a bit of an advantage on your side already."

Tsume was silent for another moment. "Are you all going to take care of my wounded guards?"

Sasuke looked around at all the guards on the floor. "We have two pretty good medical ninja's with us; I think we can pull it off."

Tsume fell silent one more time before he nodded. "Alright…I agree to your terms."

A ton of weight seemed to lift off Sakura at that very moment. She would get to be a Leaf Ninja again! She didn't have to marry Tsume! And best of all…Sasuke was in love with her!

"_Looks like this really was an important day. Heheh." _

Sasuke walked away from Tsume and over to Naruto. He muttered something to the blond for a moment that Sakura couldn't hear. Naruto nodded his head and then whispered something to Sasuke. A rare tint of pink rose on Sasuke's cheeks and Sakura just barely caught his half-second glance in her direction.

Naruto suddenly turned Sasuke around so he faced Sakura and shoved him forward. "Go on, Teme." Naruto encouraged.

Sasuke slowly started to come towards Sakura, staring mostly at the floor until he stood just a foot away from her. He shut his eyes as he shifted his head upwards, and opened them to meet her gaze.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Sakura…."

A light smile tugged at Sakura's lips, she could tell how nervous he was. "Sasuke."

Sasuke seemed to mull over his own thoughts for a few moments. He suddenly looked away, pink starting to creep onto his face again. "So…I would think that Ino told you…?"

Sakura immediately knew what he was talking about, and nodded her head shyly. "Yeah."

Silence fell between the two for a moment.

"So…" Sasuke drawled. "Do you still…?"

Sakura smiled. "I always have and always will."

A smirk formed on Sasuke's lips, and he looked at Sakura once again. "Good."

Sakura nodded. "Yeah…."

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Sasuke and Sakura were jerked out of their small conversation by the sounds, and looked over to see Ino standing behind the podium. Sakura noted how the priest was on the floor, either dead or unconscious, she hoped unconscious.

Ino cleared her throat. "Well, I must say that I really can't contain this very much longer. If I do I'm seriously gonna blow."

Sasuke and Sakura stared at the female blond with perplexed looks.

"What are you—?" Sakura began to question.

"Just go with it!" Ino ordered. "And if you interrupt or question me I will personally hunt you down and beat you with a stick. Now Sasuke, take Sakura's hands."

The two continued to stare at Ino for a moment, but Sasuke soon huffed and obliged, taking Sakura's hands in his. They both looked at each other; pretty sure that they knew what was coming.

Ino cleared her throat again. "Okay…. Ladies and gentlemen…people who are still alive. We gathered here today to join two villages, but fuck that because now we're here to join two people who really love each other: Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno."

"_Ino you are so predictable…." _Sakura chuckled mentally.

"Right, moving along. Do you, Sasuke Uchiha, promise to love and care for and protect your little Sakura forever and ever? To share happy moments with her, hold her when she's sad, beat the crap out of people who upset or harm her, care for the family I know you guys will have with love, and stay with her through thick and thin, hot and cold, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snack times?"

Sasuke blinked blankly as Ino finished her speech, but then turned to Sakura and smirked. "I do."

Ino nodded her head approvingly. "Good. Now, do you, Sakura Haruno, promise to love and care for and basically do all the stuff I just talked about only in a more feminine way because I think it'd kill Sasuke's Uchiha pride if his wife beat up the people who upset him?"

Sakura smiled and lightly shook her head at Ino's antics, but then looked back up at Sasuke. "I do."

Ino clapped her hands. "Excellent! So now by the unauthorized and ultimately imaginary power in me, I now pronounce you man and wife! Sasuke and Sakura Uchiha! And while Naruto makes a bunch of clones to make a whole lot of happy sounds…Sasuke, you may now kiss the bride."

Sasuke looked down softly at Sakura, cupped her face, and then leaned down to kiss her. Sakura eagerly kissed him back as, true to Ino's words, Naruto summoned up a group of clones to shout, cheer, and clap loudly as their kiss continued.

Finally, after a subtle throat-clearing from Ino, Sasuke and Sakura pulled apart. The two gazed into each other eyes in their proximity, completely caught up in their own little world together as they stared at each other.

"I love you." Sasuke whispered as the metal of his forehead protector touched Sakura's bare forehead.

Sakura's already blushing rosy cheeks darkened another shade as she smiled up at him. "I love you, too."

"Alright lovebirds!" Ino exclaimed. "We've got some bags to pack up in Sakura's room, and a good explanation to come up with for Lady Tsunade who's probably going to kill us all when we get home!"

The couple looked towards Ino, and Sakura nodded. "Yeah, let's get ready."

Sakura reached down and grabbed Sasuke's hand, urging him to follow her and Ino as they began to head for her room.

"Sakura."

Half an hour ago that would have been the most dreaded voice she could ever hear, but now she turned to Tsume with a lighter heart.

"Tsume…I'm sorry. It really never could have worked out…. I just…my heart already belonged to someone else." Sakura stated, tightening her grip on Sasuke's hand lightly.

Tsume noticed the slight movement, and swept his eyes over Sasuke for a couple seconds before he looked back to Sakura. "I guess you're right…. I really can't hide the fact that I'm disappointed, but…I'd rather see you happy by this man's side than miserable by mine. At least now that's what I think."

Sakura gave Tsume a sweet smile. "You know…get past that perverted side of you that really repelled me, and you're not that bad a guy."

Tsume blushed a little. "Yeah…sorry about that. It's something I got from my father…."

Sakura nodded. "I figured…." She looked up at Sasuke for a moment. "Well…we really better get ready. I'll get my things together, and then I'll heal your men, alright?"

Tsume nodded. "Alright. Will you at least come by here every once in a while?"

Sakura nodded her head lightly. "If I can. If I ever get a mission that's in or nearby, maybe I'll pop by to tell you how things are going."

Tsume smiled. "I'd like that. Well…I guess this is goodbye."

"Yeah…." Sakura agreed.

With that, the three exited the hall and went off to Sakura's room.

EPILOGUE

"Oh apartment, I've missed you so much!" Sakura beamed as she opened the door to her apartment in the Leaf Village.

Sasuke trailed behind her with a couple bags of her luggage she brought to the Land of Wolves with her. "It's good that Tsunade didn't put the place up for sale yet."

Sakura nodded and put down her own bags. "Very. So how'd she react to the story?"

"In one word: pissed." Sasuke answered. "Me, Naruto, and Ino are going to get our punishments later once she's cooled down and thought of some good torture."

Sakura shook her head. "I'm sorry you all had to get in trouble on my account."

Sasuke stepped closer to Sakura at that moment, leaving hardly a gap between them as he reached up and stroked her cheek. Sakura gazed up into his eyes, mesmerized.

"I'd have risked anything to get you back. A little bit of scolding or punishment will be nothing." Sasuke murmured reassuringly.

Sakura blushed at Sasuke's words and contact. Sasuke took the moment they had to stoop down and give her a sweet kiss. Sakura melted into it and wrapped her arms around his torso. Sasuke moved his arms around her waist.

They soon pulled away and Sasuke stared down at Sakura.

"Answer me something Sakura." Sasuke announced.

"Hmm?" Sakura hummed.

"Did that prince guy ever…well…kiss you?" Sasuke asked a little bashfully.

Sakura shook her head. "He came close a couple times, but I always found a way out of it or I got lucky. My first kiss was with you on the altar."

"Right…" Sasuke murmured with a stressed tone that Sakura didn't miss.

Sakura looked up at him. "What was with that tone?"

"Tone?"

"Your tone…it sounded like a tone saying you know something I don't." Sakura clarified. "I want to know."

Sasuke huffed and buried his face in her hair. "Well…the truth is our first kiss wasn't at the altar."

Sakura blinked, but was unable to look up at Sasuke with his head over hers. "What do you mean by—?"

A memory suddenly flooded back to Sakura's mind. Her second night or so in the Land of Wolves, the dream she had, Sasuke kissing her and then jolting in surprise and running when she kissed him back…the open door.

"You—?" Sakura gasped, and craned her neck to look up at Sasuke. "You really were there kissing me that night?"

Sasuke nodded. "I don't know what came over me. I was just standing there looking down at you. I wanted to make sure you were alright. Next thing I knew I had gotten down on my knees and I was kissing you. Though I didn't expect you to suddenly kiss back, and I had to get out of there fast."

"Oh," Sakura huffed, and buried her head in his chest. She let out a laugh. "Isn't that something?"

Sasuke smirked. "Yeah."

Comfortable silence fell between the two as they stood there in each other's arms.

A thought suddenly struck Sakura, and she tried to look up at Sasuke again. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke pulled away slightly so now they could look at each other. "Hn?"

"I was just wondering…well…you know…Ino kinda unofficially married us when we were in the Land of Wolves. I don't know where that really makes us stand now…."

Sasuke thought for a moment before he answered. "We're engaged."

Sakura blinked a couple times and tried a few unsuccessful times to form her mouth around comprehensible words. "En-engaged?"

"Well we kind of still need a paper and an official ceremony to really be married, so I think this is the next best thing." Sasuke explained.

Sakura was struck speechless now, and simply stared up at Sasuke who looked down at her, chuckled, and then leaned down to kiss her again.

When he pulled away he touched their foreheads together. "I'll get the rings tomorrow if you'd like."

Sakura was silent for a moment longer; she then tip-toed herself up to give Sasuke a peck on the lips.

"So I guess this is the Uchiha form of a proposal?" Sakura giggled.

"Call it what you want. I'm not marrying anyone else but you." Sasuke shrugged casually.

Sakura smiled and buried her head in his chest. "I'm glad to hear that."

"_Well…" _Sakura thought, _"It looks like that marriage being a girl's favorite day thing is true…and with Sasuke as my groom, it couldn't be any better…." _

**THE END**

**Holy crap! Well…I can't exactly say I wrote two chapters in one Christmas day…I mean…it's 12:12 right now…it's already the 26****th****…but hey! Damn! I pulled off a Christmas miracle! I don't even know how the hell I'm up right now! I mean, I'm tired, my right leg hurts because it's cramping from sitting crisscross on my bed for like…oh crap I think it's been over 8 hours of basically just sitting here! Uh…yeah, I think so. …Crap. No wonder my leg hurts. And no! I did not spend 8 hours just working on chapters! Actually most of it went to me messing with an animation software. Anyway! So BIDoID is done! Next up is "The Turning Leaf"! Which will be my uber story I've been planning for…a month and a half? Two months? I lost track. But it's next! Though these two chapters have probably given me a week now to work on my stuff so…you people will probably be reading this about a week after I've written this! …So I'll shut up now. Till the next story! **


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